05/27/2026
Lets have a chat about obesity in animals! Obesity is an accumulation of excess body fat, which leads to excess weight. Dogs are considered overweight when they weigh 10%-20% more than their ideal body weight, and then considered obese when they hit 20% and up. In North America obesity is the most common and preventable disease.Compared to lean fit dogs, obese dogs have a higher risk in health issues, such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and more. The first step to helping your pet is recognizing and acknowledging there is an issue. Unfortunately we are in the social media age where it is “funny” to post overweight dogs, so it can be difficult to tell if your pet is overweight or ideal. At home you can do a couple of things to help decipher your pet's thickness. For the ideal thickness, rub on the ribs of your pet, you want it to feel like the flesh on the back of your hand against the bone feels. If your bet feels more like your knuckles, or the ribs stick out, this means your pet may be too thin. If the ribs feel more like the fleshy part of your palm, your pet may be carrying too much weight for their body. Helping your dog lose weight can be a long tricky task, but there are ways to get there! We can start by giving less treats or replacing treats with vegetables, calculating the caloric intake for your pet's ideal weight (NOT the current weight). If you have concerns about your pet and their weight, schedule an appointment today to meet with your veterinarian to discuss options!
